Sri Caitanya Caritamrta - Summary and Study Guide - Madhya Lila - Chapter 24 - The Sixty-One Explanations of the Ātmārāma Verse
Sri Caitanya Caritamrta - Summary and Study Guide - Madhya Lila
“Everyone has some kind of intelligence, and one who utilizes his intelligence is called an ātmārāma. There are two types of ātmārāmas. One is a learned scholar and philosopher, and the other is an uneducated, illiterate, foolish person. (Text 187)
Chapter 24
The Sixty-One Explanations of the Ātmārāma Verse
The Ātmārāma Verse: CC Madhya 25.159
ātmārāmāś ca munayo
nirgranthā apy urukrame
kurvanty ahaitukīṁ bhaktim
ittham-bhūta-guṇo hariḥ
Synonyms
ātma-ārāmāḥ — persons who take pleasure in being transcendentally situated in the service of the Lord; ca — also; munayaḥ — great saintly persons who have completely rejected material aspirations, fruitive activities, and so forth; nirgranthāḥ — without interest in any material desire; api — certainly; urukrame — unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, whose activities are wonderful; kurvanti — do; ahaitukīm — causeless, or without material desires; bhaktim — devotional service; ittham-bhūta — so wonderful as to attract the attention of the self-satisfied; guṇaḥ — who has transcendental qualities; hariḥ — the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
“ ‘Those who are self-satisfied and unattracted by external material desires are also attracted to the loving service of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, whose qualities are transcendental and whose activities are wonderful. Hari, the Personality of Godhead, is called Kṛṣṇa because He has such transcendentally attractive features.’ ” (Madhya-lila, Chapter 25 - How All the Residents of Vārāṇasī Became Vaiṣṇavas, text 159, see also Srimad Bhagavatam, Chapter 7 - The Son of Drona Punished, Text 10)
For a summary study, please study His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami's purport of SB 1.7.10
The Atmarama verse, refers to persons who are atma-rama - self-satisfied. One is self-satisfied, but not attracted to anything material. Even though one is not attracted to material desires, he or she is attracted to devotional service to Lord Krsna. Lord Caitanya explains in this chapter that there are 61 different different ways to explain this verse.
Text 11: “The seven different meanings of the word ‘ātmā’ are the Absolute Truth, the body, the mind, endeavor, firmness, intelligence and nature.
Text 25: “The word ‘kurvanti’ means ‘they do something for others,’ since it is a form of the verb ‘to do’ indicating things done for others. It is used in connection with devotional service, which must be executed for the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa. That is the purport of the word ‘kurvanti.’
Text 27: “The word ‘hetu’ [‘cause’] means that a thing is done for some motive. There can be three motives. One may act to enjoy the result personally, to achieve some material perfection, or to attain liberation.
In text 27 and the following verses, Caitanya Mahaprabhu explains the word ‘ahaituki’.
Text 30: “There are ten meanings for the word ‘bhakti’ [‘devotional service’]. One is sādhana-bhakti, execution of devotional service according to the regulative principles, and the other nine are varieties of prema-bhakti, ecstatic love of Godhead.
In the following verses Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is explaining the word ´bhakti’.
Text 35: “Please hear the meaning of the word ‘ittham-bhūta-guṇa,’ which is found in the ātmārāma verse. ‘Ittham-bhūta’ has different meanings, and ‘guṇa’ has other meanings.
Now Gauranga Mahaprabhu is explaining the word ‘ittham-bhūta-guṇa’ .
Text 37: “ ‘My dear Lord, O master of the universe, since I have directly seen You, my transcendental bliss has taken the shape of a great ocean. Being situated in that ocean, I now realize all other so-called happiness to be like the water contained in the hoofprint of a calf.’
This text reminds of the famous verse spoken by lord Brahma: SB 10.14.68
The essence of all transcendental sweetness is that when one is attracted to Krsna, on the transcendental platform, one does not consider any logical arguments from scripture, but simply loves Krsna. (Text 40)
Text 41: The word ‘guṇa’ means ‘quality.’ The qualities of Kṛṣṇa are transcendentally situated and are unlimited in quantity. All of the spiritual qualities are full of transcendental bliss.
Caitanya Mahaprabhu will now explain the qualities of Lord Krsna until verse 58.
Text 59: “Although the word ‘hari’ has many different meanings, two of them are foremost. One meaning is that the Lord takes away all inauspicious things from His devotee, and the second meaning is that He attracts the mind by ecstatic love for God
The word ‘hari’ is explained up to and including verse 64. Next will be the words ‘ca’ and ‘api’ until text 69. After that Caitanya Mahaprabhu will be given the complete meaning of the atmarama verse.
Text 74: “ ‘Learned transcendentalists who know the Absolute Truth say that it is nondual knowledge and is called impersonal Brahman, localized Paramātmā and the Personality of Godhead.’
This a very important verse from Srimad Bhagavatam: 1.2.11
Text 83: “If one follows the path of philosophical speculation, the Absolute Truth manifests Himself as impersonal Brahman, and if one follows the path of mystic yoga, He manifests Himself as the Supersoul.
In text 100 it is explained that the Srimad Bhagavatam was compiled from four key verses. See the four essential verses of the Srimad Bhagavatam.
Text 107: “There are two kinds of worshipers on the path of philosophical speculation — one is called brahma-upāsaka, a worshiper of the impersonal Brahman, and the other is called mokṣākāṅkṣī, one who desires liberation.
Text 108: “There are three types of people who worship the impersonal Brahman. The first is the beginner, the second is one whose thoughts are absorbed in Brahman, and the third is one who is actually merged in the impersonal Brahman.
Excerpt purport text 111:
Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has given the following summary of verses 107-111. Transcendentalists on the path of philosophical speculation can be divided into two categories — the pure worshipers of impersonal Brahman and those who wish to merge into the existence of impersonal Brahman.
When one is fully absorbed in the thought that one is not different from the Supreme Absolute Truth, one is said to be a worshiper of the impersonal Brahman.
The impersonal worshipers of Brahman can again be divided into three categories:
(1) sādhakas, those who are nearing perfect execution of the process of Brahman realization;
(2) those who are fully absorbed in meditation on Brahman; and
(3) those who are on the brahma-bhūta platform and have no relationship with material existence.
Even though the worshiper of impersonal Brahman can be highly advanced, he cannot attain liberation without discharging devotional service.
Anyone who has realized himself as spirit soul can engage in devotional service.
Verse 145: “These six kinds of ātmārāmas engage in the loving service of Kṛṣṇa. The varieties of service are indicated by adding ‘ca,’ and they also bear the meaning of ‘api’ [‘indeed’].
Purport
There are six kinds of ātmārāmas:
1. the neophyte student (sādhaka),
2. one who is absorbed in Brahman realization (brahma-maya),
3. one who has already attained the Brahman position (prāpta-brahma-laya),
4. one who desires to be liberated (mumukṣu),
5. one who is liberated even in this life (jīvan-mukta), and
6. one who is self-realized (prāpta-svarūpa).
Text 154: “The yogī who worships the Supersoul within himself is also called ātmārāma. There are two types of ātmārāma-yogīs.
Text 155: “The two types of ātmārāma-yogīs are called sagarbha (meditate on the Supersoul, Visnu, with form) and nigarbha (meditate on the Supersoul, Visnu, without form). Each of these is divided into three; therefore there are six types of worshipers of the Supersoul.
Purport:
The word sagarbha-yogī refers to a yogī who worships the Supersoul in the Viṣṇu form. The nigarbha-yogī worships the Supersoul without form. The sagarbha and nigarbha yogīs are further categorized: (1) sagarbha-yogārurukṣu (yogis who worship the Supersoul in the Viṣṇu form and desiring elevation to the platform of yogic perfection), (2) nigarbha-yogārurukṣu (yogīs who worship the Supersoul without form and desiring elevation to the platform of yogic perfection), (3) sagarbha-yogārūḍha (yogis who worship the Supersoul in the Viṣṇu form and are already elevated to that position ie when a person is no longer interested in acting for sense gratification and when he renounces all material desires), (4) nigarbha-yogārūḍha (yogis who worship the Supersoul without form and are already elevated to that position ie when a person is no longer interested in acting for sense gratification and when he renounces all material desires), (5) sagarbha-prāpta-siddhi (yogis who worship the Supersoul in the Viṣṇu form and have achieved the success) and (6) nigarbha-prāpta-siddhi (yogīs who worship the Supersoul without form and have achieved the success).
Text 158: “By these three divisions of advancement in yoga — yogārurukṣu, yogārūḍha, and prāpta-siddhi — there are six kinds of mystic yogīs.
Summary by MGDas: yoga-ārurukṣu means; persons desiring elevation to the platform of yogic perfection; yoga-ārūḍha means; persons already elevated to that position i.e. when a person is no longer interested in acting for sense gratification and when he renounces all material desires. And prāpta-siddhi means; persons who have achieved the success
In other words, there are 6 types of yogis who worship the Supersoul within themselves. These are divided in two subcategories,
1. Personalistic yogis; yogis who worship the Supersoul in the Viṣṇu form.
2. Impersonalistic yogis; yogīs who worship the Supersoul without form.
Within these two categories, there are three levels, beginner, intermediate, and advanced.
Meaning, one who desires to become perfect, but not yet fully renounced, one who is almost perfect, and is already renounced, one who is completely renounced as well as fully absorbed in the Supersoul.
Text 163: “The word ‘ahaitukī’ is always applicable to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Urukrama. In this way I have described thirteen complete meanings [of the ātmārāma verse].
The thirteen meanings of the ātmārāma verse mentioned here are based on the following meanings for the word ātmārāma:
(1) sādhaka, the neophyte performer;
(2) brahma-maya, one absorbed in the thought of impersonal Brahman;
(3) prāpta-brahma-laya, one who has actually attained Brahman perfection;
(4) mumukṣu, one who desires liberation;
(5) jīvan-mukta, one who is liberated in this life;
(6) prāpta-svarūpa, one who has attained his original constitutional position;
(7) nirgrantha-muni, a completely liberated saint;
(8) sagarbha-yogārurukṣu, a yogī meditating upon the four-handed Viṣṇu form and desiring yogic perfection;
(9) nigarbha-yogārurukṣu, one who is trying for perfection in impersonal meditation;
(10) sagarbha-yogārūḍha, one who has been elevated to the platform of yogic perfection by meditating on the Viṣṇu form;
(11) nigarbha-yogārūḍha, an impersonal yogī on the platform of perfection;
(12) sagarbha-prāpta-siddhi, one who has attained the perfectional stage by meditating on the Viṣṇu form;
(13) nigarbha-prāpta-siddhi, one who has attained perfection by practicing impersonal meditation.
Text 164: “These thirteen types of yogīs and munis are called śānta-bhaktas, for they render transcendental loving service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead in the neutral stage.
Summary by MGDas: This chapter, spoken primarily by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu to Srila Sanatana Gosvami, describes 6 kind of atmarama's, or yogis, who meditate on the Supersoul and 6 kind of atmarama's, or yogis, who, according to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu (verse 145), worship Lord Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
The 6 kind of atmaramas who worship the Supersoul are:
1. Personalistic yogis; yogis who worship the Supersoul in the Viṣṇu form.
2. Impersonalistic yogis; yogīs who worship the Supersoul without form.
Within these two categories, there are three levels, beginner, intermediate, and advanced.
The 6 kind of atmaramas who worship Krsna, the origin of everything, including Visnu, and Supreme Personality of Godhead are:
1. the neophyte student (sādhaka),
2. one who is absorbed in Brahman realization (brahma-maya),
3. one who has already attained the Brahman position (prāpta-brahma-laya),
4. one who desires to be liberated (mumukṣu),
5. one who is liberated even in this life (jīvan-mukta), and
6. one who is self-realized (prāpta-svarūpa).
And finally: 7. The nirgrantha-muni, a completely liberated saint.
In other words, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu describes 12 kinds of atmaramas and 1 nirgrantha-muni.
ātmārāmāś ca munayo
nirgranthā apy urukrame
kurvanty ahaitukīṁ bhaktim
ittham-bhūta-guṇo hariḥ
Text 165: “The word ‘ātmā’ sometimes means ‘the mind.’ In this case the word ‘ātmārāma’ means ‘a person who is satisfied by mental speculation.’ When such a person associates with a pure devotee, he takes to devotional service at the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa.
Text 168: “ ‘Ātmā’ also means ‘endeavor.’ Being attracted by Kṛṣṇa’s transcendental qualities, some saints make a great endeavor to come to the point of rendering service to Him.
Text 174: “Another meaning of ‘ātmā’ is dhṛti, or endurance. A person who endeavors with endurance is ātmārāma. With endurance, such a person engages in devotional service.
Text 187: “Everyone has some kind of intelligence, and one who utilizes his intelligence is called an ātmārāma. There are two types of ātmārāmas. One is a learned scholar and philosopher, and the other is an uneducated, illiterate, foolish person.
Text 190: “ ‘Women, fourth-class men, uncivilized hill tribes, hunters and many others born of low families, as well as birds and beasts, can engage in the service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead — who acts very wonderfully — and follow the path of the devotees and take lessons from them. Although the ocean of nescience is vast, they can still cross over it. What, then, is the difficulty for those who are advanced in Vedic knowledge?’
Comment by MG Das: the purport is that anybody can become a pure devotee, and enter into the spiritual realm. kalau sudra sambhava in Kali Yuga, the current age, everybody is born as a sudra.
Text 200: “Another meaning of the word ‘ātmā’ is ‘one’s characteristic nature.’ Whoever enjoys his particular type of nature is called ātmārāma. Therefore, all living entities — be they moving or nonmoving — are also called ātmārāma.
Verse 210: “I have already spoken about thirteen meanings [of the ātmārāma verse]. Now there are six more. Combined, these make nineteen.
Purport:
The six further meanings of the verse are based on the following meanings of the word ātmārāma: (1) mental speculators (vide verse 165 ("The word ‘ātmā’ sometimes means ‘the mind.’ In this case the word ‘ātmārāma’ means ‘a person who is satisfied by mental speculation.’ When such a person associates with a pure devotee, he takes to devotional service at the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa.")), (2) those engaged in different types of endeavor (vide verse 168 ("‘Ātmā’ also means ‘endeavor.’ Being attracted by Kṛṣṇa’s transcendental qualities, some saints make a great endeavor to come to the point of rendering service to Him.")), (3) those who are patient and sober (vide verse 174 ("“Another meaning of ‘ātmā’ is dhṛti, or endurance. A person who endeavors with endurance is ātmārāma. With endurance, such a person engages in devotional service.")), (4) those who are intelligent and learned scholars (vide verse 187 ("“Everyone has some kind of intelligence, and one who utilizes his intelligence is called an ātmārāma. There are two types of ātmārāmas. One is a learned scholar and philosopher, and the other is an uneducated, illiterate, foolish person.")), (5) those who are intelligent but illiterate and foolish (vide verse 187 ("“Everyone has some kind of intelligence, and one who utilizes his intelligence is called an ātmārāma. There are two types of ātmārāmas. One is a learned scholar and philosopher, and the other is an uneducated, illiterate, foolish person.")), and (6) those who are conscious of their eternal servitorship to Kṛṣṇa (vide verse 201 ("“The original nature of every living entity is to consider himself the eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa. But under the influence of māyā he thinks himself to be the body, and thus his original consciousness is covered.")).
Verse 211: “I have already explained nineteen different meanings. Now please hear further meanings. The word ‘ātma’ also refers to the body, and this can be taken in four ways.
Purport: The four divisions of meanings of the word deha (“body”) are (1) aupādika-brahma-deha, the material body considered as Brahman with designations (vide verse 212 ("One in the bodily conception worships his own body as Brahman, but when he comes in contact with a devotee, he gives up this mistaken idea and engages himself in the devotional service of Lord Kṛṣṇa."), (2) karma-niṣṭha yājñikera karma-deha, the body engaged in ritualistic ceremonies of the Vedic injunctions (vide verse 214 ("Those who are in the bodily conception mainly engage in fruitive activity. Those who perform yajñas and ritualistic ceremonies are also considered in the same category. However, when such persons come in contact with the pure devotee, they give up their fruitive activity and fully engage in the service of the Lord.")), (3) tapo-deha, the body engaged in austerities and penances (vide verse 216 ("The tapasvīs, those who undergo severe austerities and penances to elevate themselves to the higher planetary systems, are also in the same category. When such persons come in contact with a devotee, they give up all those practices and engage in Lord Kṛṣṇa’s service.")), and (4) sarva-kāma-deha, the body engaged for the satisfaction of all kinds of material desires (vide verse 218 ("As long as one labors under the bodily conception, he must fulfill volumes and volumes of material desires. Thus a person is called ātmārāma. When such an ātmārāma is favored by the mercy of Kṛṣṇa, he gives up his so-called self-satisfaction and engages in the transcendental loving service of the Lord.")).
Text 212: “One in the bodily conception worships his own body as Brahman, but when he comes in contact with a devotee, he gives up this mistaken idea and engages himself in the devotional service of Lord Kṛṣṇa.
Text 214: “Those who are in the bodily conception mainly engage in fruitive activity. Those who perform yajñas and ritualistic ceremonies are also considered in the same category. However, when such persons come in contact with the pure devotee, they give up their fruitive activity and fully engage in the service of the Lord.
Text 216: “The tapasvīs, those who undergo severe austerities and penances to elevate themselves to the higher planetary systems, are also in the same category. When such persons come in contact with a devotee, they give up all those practices and engage in Lord Kṛṣṇa’s service.
Text 218: “As long as one labors under the bodily conception, he must fulfill volumes and volumes of material desires. Thus a person is called ātmārāma. When such an ātmārāma is favored by the mercy of Kṛṣṇa, he gives up his so-called self-satisfaction and engages in the transcendental loving service of the Lord.
Text 220: “In addition to the nineteen meanings of the verse mentioned previously, there are these four further meanings when the word ‘ātmārāma’ is taken to mean ‘those laboring under the bodily conception.’ This brings the total to twenty-three. Now hear of another three meanings, which are very suitable.
Purport:
The three further meanings of the verse are understood when (1) the word ca is taken to mean “in due course,” (2) the word ca is taken to mean eva and the word api to mean “censure,” and (3) the word nirgrantha is taken to mean “one who is very poor, without money.”
Summary: The four atmarama's who labour under the bodily conception are:
1. One in the bodily conception worships his own body as Brahman (Text 212). Example: A verse quoted by the personified Vedas about yogis who perform Kundalini Yoga. (Text 213)
2. One who performs yajñas and ritualistic ceremonies (Text 214). Example: the ṛṣis assembled at the meeting of great sages at Naimiṣāraṇya. At that time, they neglected to complete the ritualistic ceremonies because there was no positive assurance of the results. (Text 215)
3. One who undergoes severe austerities and penances to elevate oneself to the higher planetary systems (the tapasvi) (Text 216). Example: King Prthu, instructing the assembly performing the sacrifice of King Pṛthu "yat-pāda-sevābhirucis tapasvinām" (Text 217)
4. As long as one labors under the bodily conception, he must fulfill volumes and volumes of material desires. (Text 218). Example: Dhruva Maharaja (Text 219)
Text 221: [A]ll the ātmārāmas and munis engage in Kṛṣṇa’s service.
Text 224: “Saintly persons who are always meditating upon Kṛṣṇa are engaged in the devotional service of the Lord. The ātmārāmas are also engaged in the Lord’s service.
Excerpt from the purport: [O]ne who always meditates upon Kṛṣṇa is mainly a devotee of Kṛṣṇa engaged in His devotional service. Other ātmārāmas are subordinate in devotional service.
Text 225: [O]nly saintly persons are engaged in rendering devotional service to Kṛṣṇa.
Text 226: “The word ‘nirgrantha’ can be taken as an adjective modifying ‘muni’ and ‘ātmārāma.’ There is another meaning, which you may hear from Me, indicating association with a devotee. Now I shall explain how it is that through the association of devotees, even a nirgrantha can become a devotee.
Text 227: “The word ‘nirgrantha,’ when combined with ‘api’ used in the sense of certainty, indicates a person who is a hunter by profession or who is very poor. Nonetheless, when such a person associates with a great saint like Nārada, he engages in Lord Kṛṣṇa’s devotional service.
Comment by MGDas: The word ‘nirgrantha’ means a person who does not read books. ´Grantha’ means book, like grantha raja, the king of books, or the Srimad Bhagavatam. Nir grantha means no books.
Caitanya Mahaprabhu will now describe how Narada muni educated a hunter into Krsna consciousness.
Text 283: “In this way we have found three more meanings [of the ātmārāma verse]. Combine these with the other meanings, and the total number of meanings adds up to twenty-six in all.
The three meanings are:
1. One who always meditates upon Kṛṣṇa is mainly a devotee of Kṛṣṇa engaged in His devotional service, he is called an atmarama. Other ātmārāmas are subordinate in devotional service.
2. Only saintly persons are engaged in rendering devotional service to Kṛṣṇa. Meaning, one who does not enegage in Krsna's devotional service is not saintly, in the ultimate sense.
3. Through the association of devotees, even a nirgrantha (a meat-eater or a hunter, i.e. a very fallen person) can become a devotee, or atmarama.
Text 284:“There is yet another meaning, which is full of a variety of imports. Actually there are two gross meanings and thirty-two subtle meanings.
Purport:
The two gross meanings refer to regulative devotional service and spontaneous devotional service. There are also thirty-two subtle meanings. Under the heading of regulative devotional service, there are sixteen meanings based on understanding the word ātmārāma to mean (1) a servant of the Lord as His personal associate, (2) a personal friend, (3) personal parents or similar superiors, (4) a personal beloved, (5) a servant elevated by spiritual cultivation, (6) a friend by spiritual cultivation, (7) parents and superior devotees by cultivation of devotional service, (8) a beloved wife or female friend by cultivation of devotional service, (9) a mature devotee as a servant, (10) a mature devotee as a friend, (11) a mature devotee as a parent and superior, (12) a mature devotee as a wife and beloved, (13) an immature devotee as a servant, (14) an immature devotee as a friend, (15) an immature devotee as a father or superior, and (16) an immature devotee as a beloved. Similarly, under the heading of spontaneous devotion there are also sixteen various associates. Therefore the total number of devotees under the headings of regulated devotees and spontaneous devotees is thirty-two.
Comment by MGDas: The following verses explain this more elaboratoly.
Text 294: “When we add the twenty-six types of devotees to these thirty-two, they altogether number fifty-eight. You may now hear from Me of further manifestations of meanings.
Text 301: “After uttering the word ‘ātmārāmāḥ’ fifty-eight times and taking ‘ca’ in a sense of aggregation, one may add the word ‘munayaḥ.’ That will mean that great sages also render devotional service to Lord Kṛṣṇa. In this way there are fifty-nine meanings.
Text 302: “Then taking the word ‘nirgranthāḥ’ and considering ‘api’ in the sense of sustenance, I have tried to explain a fifty-ninth meaning of the verse.
Text 303: “Taking all the words together, there is another meaning. Whether one is an ātmārāma, a great sage or a nirgrantha, everyone must engage in the service of the Lord.
Purport
The word sarva-samuccaye is significant here. It includes all classes of men — ātmārāmas, munis and nirgranthas. Everyone must engage in the service of the Lord. Taking the word api in the sense of ascertainment, there are, all together, sixty different meanings.
Text 306: “Now I have given sixty different meanings of the verse, and yet there is another meaning which is also very strongly evident.
Text 312: “Now, due to your association, another meaning has awakened. It is due to your devotional service that these waves of meaning are arising.
Purport
The word ātmā refers to the living entity. From Lord Brahmā down to an insignificant ant, everyone is considered a living entity. Living entities are considered part of the Lord’s marginal potency. All of them are kṣetra-jña, knowers of the body. When they become nirgrantha, or free, saintly persons, they engage in Lord Kṛṣṇa’s service. That is the sixty-first meaning of the verse.
The 61 different meaning of the Atma-rama verse are as follows:
(61-meanings-of-the-atmarama-verse)
(1) sādhaka, the neophyte performer;
(2) brahma-maya, one absorbed in the thought of impersonal Brahman;
(3) prāpta-brahma-laya, one who has actually attained Brahman perfection;
(4) mumukṣu, one who desires liberation;
(5) jīvan-mukta, one who is liberated in this life;
(6) prāpta-svarūpa, one who has attained his original constitutional position;
(7) nirgrantha-muni, a completely liberated saint;
(8) sagarbha-yogārurukṣu, a yogī meditating upon the four-handed Viṣṇu form and desiring yogic perfection;
(9) nigarbha-yogārurukṣu, one who is trying for perfection in impersonal meditation;
(10) sagarbha-yogārūḍha, one who has been elevated to the platform of yogic perfection by meditating on the Viṣṇu form;
(11) nigarbha-yogārūḍha, an impersonal yogī on the platform of perfection;
(12) sagarbha-prāpta-siddhi, one who has attained the perfectional stage by meditating on the Viṣṇu form;
(13) nigarbha-prāpta-siddhi, one who has attained perfection by practicing impersonal meditation.
The word ‘ātma’ also refers to the body, and this can be taken in four ways.
The four divisions of meanings of the word deha (“body”) are
(20) aupādika-brahma-deha, the material body considered as Brahman with designations. One in the bodily conception worships his own body as Brahman (Text 212). Example: A verse quoted by the personified Vedas about yogis who perform Kundalini Yoga. (Text 213)
(21) karma-niṣṭha yājñikera karma-deha, the body engaged in ritualistic ceremonies of the Vedic injunctions. One who performs yajñas and ritualistic ceremonies (Text 214). Example: the ṛṣis assembled at the meeting of great sages at Naimiṣāraṇya. At that time, they neglected to complete the ritualistic ceremonies because there was no positive assurance of the results. (Text 215)
(22) tapo-deha, the body engaged in austerities and penances. 3. One who undergoes severe austerities and penances to elevate oneself to the higher planetary systems (the tapasvi) (Text 216). Example: King Prthu, instructing the assembly performing the sacrifice of King Pṛthu "yat-pāda-sevābhirucis tapasvinām" (Text 217)
(23) sarva-kāma-deha, the body engaged for the satisfaction of all kinds of material desires. As long as one labors under the bodily conception, he must fulfill volumes and volumes of material desires. (Text 218). Example: Dhruva Maharaja (Text 219)
(25) Only saintly persons are engaged in rendering devotional service to Kṛṣṇa. Meaning, one who does not enegage in Krsna's devotional service is not saintly, in the ultimate sense.
(26) Through the association of devotees, even a nirgrantha (a meat-eater or a hunter, i.e. a very fallen person) can become a devotee, or atmarama.
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